Category: Shorter Works

[Fascicle One] [Composed by Gutoku Shinran] Through hearing the shinjin of the wise, the heart of myself, Gutoku (“foolish/stubble-haired”), becomes manifest: The shinjin of the wise is such that they are inwardly wise, outwardly foolish.The heart of Gutoku is such that I am inwardly foolish, outwardly wise. Concerning the teachings of the Path of Sages…

Let Amida’s virtues be praised for a hundred thousand kotis ofnayutas of kalpas, by tongues a hundred thousand countless kotis ofnayutas in number, each tongue producing countless voices,and still those virtues could not be exhausted. The Sutra of Praise of the Pure LandTranslated by Tripitaka Master Hsüan-tsang Composed by Gutoku ShinranDisciple of Sakyamuni On the Treatise…

The Gatha of Aspiration for Birth: An Upadesa on the Sutra of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life states: How is directing of virtue accomplished? It is by never abandoning any sentient being in suffering, but constantly aspiring in the heart to fulfill the mind of great compassion, taking the directing of virtue as foremost. Concerning the directing…

[Birth in accord with the Larger Sutra] Birth in accord with the Larger Sutra is [brought about by] the Tathagata’s selected Primal Vow, the inconceivable oceanlike vow. This is Other Power. In other words, by the cause of the Vow of birth through the nembutsu, we gain the fruit of the Vow of necessary attainment of nirvana.…

Concerning “Immeasurable Light,” the [Contemplation] Sutra states: The Buddha of immeasurable life possesses eighty-four thousand features. Each feature possesses eighty-four thousand marks. Each mark gives forth eighty-four thousand beams of light. Each beam of light shines everywhere throughout the worlds of the ten quarters, grasping and never abandoning sentient beings of the nembutsu. Regarding this light, the…